Booka Shade are a couple of very busy men. In addition to this project and all the touring/traveling that goes along with it, they also are key players in the Get Physical label (alongside DJ T., aka Thomas Koch), they also have a host of aliases they record under. But as time has gone on, Booka Shade has increasingly become their main event, releasing a slue of handsome singles of slick electro/tech-house as well as full-length albums.
My favorite thing about Booka Shade is the latter point – they could just as well stick to 12" singles and do well, because they have a knack for bona fide anthems that ride of the line of being epic, cheesy, fun and catchy, without lapsing into any of these so much as to undermine just how good the tracks actually are. However, restless spirits they may be, Booka Shade are coming off releasing their third full-length album, wherein they are just as happy to veer off the well-trodden club path into more listening-oriented, slower tracks as they are to get the crowd moving.
With 2 albums already behind them (2006's Movements is essential), they know what works, and if "Night Falls" was the best opening track of 2006, "Outskirts" may just rival it for 2008. It's a mid-tempo affair that recalls the most lush moments of like-minded Trentemøller but still has their knack for crisp, clean sounds and melody. The addition of full strings moves this into more "serious" territory but not so much that it sounds overwrought; in fact, it's an obvious progression for the act given the more aspirational moments of the prior album. Things continue along this route, gradually working up some momentum with the subtle "Duke" and the oddly spry "Dusty Boots." The latter shows off the duo's new explorations of the male voice, previously highlighted in the spot on "Karma Car" single from early this year. Here it recalls the wordless percussive quality of Laurie Anderson with a series of breathy "ahs" in rhythm with the track over an off-kilter melange of blues guitar samples, reverberated horns and their usual synthy palette of sounds. There are some additional complements to this track, such as the slower "Solo City," which is equal parts IDM and Depeche Mode over a comparable palette; the title track is even more directly Depeche Mode-esque with its plinkity-plonk sounds that recall the strangest moments of Some Great Reward.
In fact, Depeche Mode seems like the most direct reference point for much of The Sun & the Neon Light, from the lush arrangements to the vocals, from the slinky, odd references to folk and blues to the odd samples and percussive sounds. But it doesn't strike me as copying them or ripping them off; it seems like a genuine homage from a couple of blokes who probably grew up on a steady diet of Depeche Mode, Yaz and New Order. It's interesting to hear those influences come through their already established œuvre here, and most of the time it's successful, but occasionally falls a bit flat (the ballad "Sweet Lies" is a bit dull).
When it's all said and done, though, it's the club tracks that really make this album work. "Control Me" is perhaps the best Depeche Mode nod I've heard in a long time, everything from the hook to the vocal, it's a full on party anthem. On the same end, the single "Charlotte" is another hot number, brimming with energy and sunshine. "Numbers," their track from their 2007 DJ-Kicks mix CD, is another slick but more understated club track, shortened for this release but still nice, while "Karma Car" is probably one of the best tracks they've created. The melodic/bass hooks are tight and the wordless vocal that carries it is a breath of fresh air.
Some may find this album to be a bit uneven in its large tempo disparity and genre explorations and blendings, but I think it's wonderful. It showcases an act that is unafraid to explore, try new things and almost always make it work. I can't wait to hear where they take it next.
mp3s: Control Me | Karma Car
more information: Official Site | Myspace | Get Physical
buy it: Get Physical | Bent Crayon | Emusic | Amazon | iTunes
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